Colossians is one of my favorite books of the Bible. When I was a pastor in Philippi, West Virginia, I did a series of bible studies on Wednesday nights with our church members on this little letter that Paul wrote. Most likely he did not even personally know the people at Colossae. It was a town that was on no major highway at the time. The two churches I pastored were a lot like that. They were both miles off the beaten path.
One of my church members in Hull, Texas where I was pastor told me when she had trouble sleeping at night she would count how many businesses had been on main street at one point. When I was there there was a post office, hardware store and our church. There was a place to eat and a gas station several blocks away and nothing else until you get to the next town. This lady who had lived in Hull most of her life said she had at one point counted 28 businesses that had been there including 3 car businesses a movie theater and a two story hotel. All of that was gone. There was at least 7 abandoned buildings around our church.
This was the kind of environment Colossae was. That is why Paul didn't stop there. You didn't get there by accident. But, having heard from some of the believers there that some people were coming in and trying to mislead the believers there Paul writes this little letter from prison. Paul tells them, specifically in the first two chapter, put Christ first and don't add to the gospel. It seems that people are constantly tripping over the simplicity of the gospel. We want to add to it with works since we want to do something instead of simply receiving what Christ wants to give us. In some ways, we want to try and earn it. But, God doesn't tell us that we earn it. The Bible says that it is a free gift of grace. The very word "grace' means "unmerited favor". It is unmerited because there is nothing you did to impress God or warrant God treating you with kindness.
Then, in chapter three Paul goes on to talk about what our response should be as believers to what Christ did for us. It is not in order to be saved, but because we are saved that we want to do these things. Understanding the high price that Christ paid on our behalf and how much He loves us, now we are to live for Him. So, Paul tells us to "set" our minds on things above. It is very intentional what we set our minds on. Then, he goes on to say that we should "put to death" Col 3:5 the things that belong to the flesh. As believers in Christ, I have a choice each day what type of spiritual clothing I put on. I have a choice who I surrender to. When I was lost I didn't have that choice. But, now I am to put on the new creation that Christ brings to us. 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
